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Cards epic choke continues: I'm reading "The Echoing Green" right now, the full story about the 1951 "Shot Heard Round the World," which capped a wild fall comeback by the Giants to catch the Dodgers and force a playoff.
Right now, the Cards could use a little of the Giants sign-stealing-style cheating to fend off the Astros and avoid MLB's biggest regular-season division-title choke in the last decade.
If it meant the difference between winning and losing the playoffs, would Cards fans approve of a move like stealing signs? (After all, this is the same fan base that made Mark McGwire a god even though he turned out to be the poster guy for the Steroids Era.)
More on this story at the end of the post, because I want to get to the other storylines of the day.
Bonds to play in '07: Based on his 26 HR this season, Hank Aaron's record is as good as broken. (Bonds only needs 22 to do it.)
The BIG question, though, is WHERE? Will he stay in
Here's the upshot: All but a handful of teams would be CRAZY not to make a play for him: He'll be the biggest draw in MLB next season.
Wait: How about Bonds in
Ortiz tacitly approved shipping Manny out of town, but only if the team got someone to protect Papi's prodigious backside. (He ain't hitting 54 HR without a bodyguard.)
The name Ortiz threw out? Bonds.
(Barry in
Schilling drops "IF"-bomb: As in, "If I come back next year..."
Schilling insists it was a rhetorical slip, but he's WAY too media-savvy for that to happen. Maybe he realized he and his team are off the MLB radar and wanted to do something to get back onto it.
A's clinch AL West: "Moneyball" is back, baby. Just in time to make a run to the World Series (as predicted in my Quickie preview in April).
The Tigers are the anti-Cards: Win yesterday holds off Twins (who also won), keeping DET 1 GA of MIN. (Meanwhile, the Tigers are playing for the playoffs; they're going to pull Verlander from his next start to get him ready for the ALDS.)
Dusty Baker wants an answer: "Sooner rather than later." OK, let me make things easy: You're fired. Now, where's Girardi's phone number...?
Hold on: Girardi lobbying to SAVE his job? Sure, you could see it that way, or you could simply see it as public posturing to continue to make him look like the victim in his battle with the owner.
T.O. hospitalized for allergic reaction: What, did his body finally reject the bullshit flowing through his veins?
J'ag-cuse! Are the Colts dirty? That's what Jags coach Jack Del Rio says. Sour grapes? Hey, I'm a Jags fan: I'm on
Warner still Cards starting QB: Well, that "Leinart-to-start" rumor was as baseless as a degree from an online "university."
Vinny Testaverde to the Pats? They're looking at him. He's so old, he makes Brad Johnson look spry. This has to happen.
Dirk signs extension through 2011: Here's a prediction: The Mavs will never do better than last season, but Dirk ends this new deal in the Hall of Fame.
World's Strongest Man Update: The first American in 24 years won the most recent World's Strongest Man competition.
(Shout out to Magnus Magnussen: Holla!)
Notice how no one has ever suggested we institute drug-testing for
Maybe the Olympics should switch to the "Strongest Man" attitude: Hey, do what you gotta do.
Byron Nelson dead at 94: Be honest, how many of you didn't even know the golf legend was still alive as of yesterday?
If you're under 40, you never saw him play – the closest thing was watching the "Byron Nelson Classic."
MNF: Highest. Rating. Ever. At least, for an ESPN show. And it's the second-highest-rated show on cable ever, still trailing the unstoppable Gore-Perot NAFTA debate.
(The true amazingness of these TV-ratings stories is that a public-policy debate was the highest-rated show on cable of all time. Will it EVER be topped? If the Saints homecoming game can't do it -- and it almost did -- I'm not sure what can.)
Still, this most recent MNF rating is pretty amazing. But will it represent the
Undoubtedly, it was the result of an unprecedented combo of ESPN's promotion skills plus the biggest human-interest story the NFL has seen in decades. As the season goes on, it remains to be seen whether the football-related (as opposed to human-interest) match-ups will be as compelling (or, more specifically, as widely watched).
Meanwhile, don't think that the executives over at NBC weren't tracking those MNF-in-N.O. ratings:
I am sure that NBC will take advantage of the new "flex" scheduling for Sunday night, even if it means PASSING on a more intriguing playoff-implicating match-up in exchange for more human interest from
(Though, at this rate, the Saints will be involved in late-season playoff-implication games, too.)
More on today's top story: The Cards have lost 7 straight; the Astros have won 7 straight, leaving them just 1.5 GB.
The Astros have 5 to play: 2 more at
Meanwhile, the Cards play the final 5 games at home – one more against playoff-contending
I can't help but wonder if die-hard Cards fans are quite sure that ending the season at OLD Busch would have assured a division title. NEW Busch? Who knows?
Here's the Cards' fans problem: They're alone. Every other baseball fan across the country -- and you could otherwise not give a crap about the Astros -- is rooting for


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Broccoli-cheese casserole
Moms learn early on that one way to get the kids to eat their veggies is to hide them under a layer of cheese or other tasty sauce. By the time the munchkins realize they're eating something good for them, they're hooked.
The traditional Thanksgiving broccoli-cheese (sometimes with rice) casserole is this notion run amok. There are so many simple, appealing comfort-food tastes at work that the broccoli almost becomes ancillary.
Broccoli-Cheese Casserole
1 c. mayonnaise
1 can cream of celery soup, undiluted
2 eggs, beaten, at room temperature
2 pkgs (10oz each) frozen chopped broccoli, drained
¼ c. minced onion
1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 ½ tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup herb-seasoned stuffing mix
2 tablespoons butter
Grease a 2-quart glass or Pyrex casserole and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise and soup, mixing well. Stir in the eggs and broccoli. Add the onion, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Place in the prepared casserole dish and top with the stuffing mix. Dot with butter. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes.
Serves 8-10.
This next recipe is the one served at my house every Thanksgiving. The leftovers, once chilled, can be sliced like a meatloaf. I like to top a couple of slices with some leftover turkey gravy and heat the whole thing in the microwave. What a snack!
Broccoli-Rice-Cheese Casserole
2 c. long-grain white rice, cooked
½ c. diced onion
½ c. diced green peppers
½ c. chopped celery
2 c. cheddar cheese, divided
2 10-ounce pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
Mix rice, onion, peppers, celery, 1 c. of the cheese and broccoli. Add soups and fold until combined well. Spread in greased 2 qt. casserole dish and top with remaining cup of cheese.
Bake at 350° for at least 30 minutes or until done. Take off cover and brown top a little.

subset: commoncrawl


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I learned at a very tender age that "Have it, it's good for you!" would inevitably refer to something that tasted very bad. Fast forward a couple of decades (OK, OK so it's more than that, I confess, I confess!) and I'm a fan of Pom Wonderful because it's actually "good for you," delicious and refreshing.
Pomegranate juice has a great concentration of antioxidants, various studies say it is similar to red wine, purple grape juice and black tea. Preliminary research has shown that it may reduce the danger of various types of cancer, it may reduce serum cholesterol and protect arteries from clogging. In the summer I like it as an ice cold drink, but it is a very popular ingredient in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. It is also used as a marinade for grilled meats.
Since we are in the Nine Days and meat may not be eaten, I thought it appropriate to bring you a delicious fish recipe, which I adapted from Perfect Jewish, by Elizabeth Wolfe-Cohen, published by Parragon Books.
Stuffed Oven-Baked Trout with Pomegranates
Yields: 4 servings
- 4 Whole trout, about 10 to 12 oz each, cleaned, scaled, rinsed and dried
- vegetable oil for oiling
- 2 tablespoons margarine
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup pistachios, shelled and skinned
- 4 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
- 4 tablespoons POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice
- salt and pepper
- 1 ripe pomegranate
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Prepare the stuffing. heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet over medium high fire. Add the onion and cook for 3 – 5 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in the pistachios, cardamon, POM Wonderful and the remaining oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- With a sharp knife, slice off the top of the pomegranate. Cut the thick skin into 6 wedgesand pull apart into sections. Carefully scoop the seeds into a small bowl, removing the skin membranes and reserving any juice. Add about three quarters of the seeds to the stuffing and stir to combine.
- Oil a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the fish. Season fish to taste with salt and pepper, inside and out. Cut into the fish' skin diagonally 2 to 3 times on each side. Spoon one quarter of the stuffing into each fish. Arrange in the dish.
- Drizzle with the melted margarine. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the flesh flakes when pierced with a tip of a knife. Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with the remaing pomegranate seeds and juice.
Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!


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U.S. sends B-2s to South Korea for military drills
In a show of force following weeks of North Korean bluster, the U.S. on Thursday took the unprecedented step of announcing that two of its nuclear-capable B-2 bombers dropped munitions on a South Korean island as part of joint military drills.
The announcement is likely to further enrage Pyongyang, which has already issued a flood of ominous statements to highlight displeasure over the drills and U.N. sanctions over its nuclear test last month. But there were signs Thursday that it is willing to go only so far.
A North Korean industrial plant operated with South Korean know-how was running normally, despite the North's shutdown a day earlier of communication lines ordinarily used to move workers and goods across the border. At least for the moment, Pyongyang was choosing the factory's infusion of hard currency over yet another provocation.
U.S. Forces Korea said in a statement that the B-2 stealth bombers flew from a U.S. air base in Missouri and dropped munitions on a South Korean island range before returning home. It was unclear whether America's stealth bombers were used in past annual drills with South Korea, but this is the first time the military has announced their use.
The statement follows an earlier U.S. announcement that nuclear-capable B-52 bombers participated in the joint military drills.
The announcement will likely draw a strong response from Pyongyang. North Korea sees the military drills as part of a U.S. plot to invade and becomes particularly upset about U.S. nuclear activities in the region. Washington and Seoul say the drills are routine and defensive.
North Korea has already threatened nuclear strikes on Washington and Seoul in recent weeks. It said Wednesday there was no need for communication in a situation "where a war may break out at any moment." Earlier this month, it announced that it considers void the armistice that ended the Korean War in 1953.
But Pyongyang would have gone beyond words, possibly damaging its own weak finances, if it had blocked South Koreans from getting in and out of the Kaesong industrial plant, which produced $470 million worth of goods last year.
South Korean managers at the plant reported no signs of trouble Thursday.
Analysts see a full-blown North Korean attack as extremely unlikely, though there are fears of a more localized conflict, such as a naval skirmish in disputed Yellow Sea waters. Such naval clashes have happened three times since 1999.
The Kaesong plant, just across the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone that separates the Koreas, normally relies on a military hotline for the governments to coordinate the movement of goods and South Korean workers.
Without the hotline, the governments, which lack diplomatic relations, used middlemen. North Korea verbally approved the crossing Thursday of hundreds of South Koreans by telling South Koreans at a management office at the Kaesong factory. Those South Koreans then called officials in South Korea.
Both governments prohibit direct contact with citizens on the other side, but Kaesong has separate telephone lines that allow South Korean managers there to communicate with people in South Korea.
Factory managers at Kaesong reached by The Associated Press by telephone at the factory said the overall mood there is normal.
"Tension rises almost every year when it's time for the U.S.-South Korean drills to take place, but as soon as those drills end, things quickly return to normal," Sung Hyun-sang said in Seoul, a day after returning from Kaesong. He is president of Mansun Corporation, an apparel manufacturer that employs 1,400 North Korean workers and regularly stations 12 South Koreans at Kaesong.
"I think and hope that this time won't be different," Sung said.
Technically, the divided Korean Peninsula remains in a state of war. North Korea last shut down communications at Kaesong four years ago, and that time some workers were temporarily stranded.
North Korea could be trying to stoke worries that the hotline shutdown could mean that a military provocation could come any time without notice.
South Korea urged the North to quickly restore the hotline, and the U.S. State Department said the shutdown was unconstructive.
North Korea's latest threats are seen as efforts to provoke the new government in Seoul, led by President Park Geun-hye, to change its policies toward Pyongyang. North Korea's moves at home to order troops into "combat readiness" also are seen as ways to build domestic unity as young leader Kim Jong Un, who took power after his father's death in December 2011, strengthens his military credentials.
The Kaesong complex is the last major symbol of inter-Korean cooperation. Other rapprochement projects created during a previous era of detente stopped as tension rose in recent years.
At the border Thursday, a trio of uniformed South Korean soldiers stood at one side of a gate as white trucks rumbled through, carrying large pipes and containers to Kaesong. At Dorasan station, a South Korean border checkpoint, a green signboard hung above the trucks with the words "Kaesong" and "Pyongyang" written in English and Korean.
The stalled hotline, which consists of two telephone lines, two fax lines and two lines that can be used for both telephone and fax, was virtually the last remaining direct link between the rival Koreas.
North Korea in recent weeks cut other phone and fax hotlines with South Korea's Red Cross and with the American-led U.N. Command at the border. Three other telephone hotlines used only to exchange information about air traffic were still operating normally Thursday, according to South Korea's Air Traffic Center.
In 2010, ties between the rivals reached one of their lowest points in decades after North Korea's artillery bombardment of a South Korean island and a South Korean warship sinking blamed on a North Korean torpedo attack. A total of 50 South Koreans died.
There is still danger of a confrontation or clash. Kim Jong Un may be more willing to take risks than his father, the late Kim Jong Il, said Yoo Ho-yeol, a North Korea expert at Korea University in South Korea.
Although North Korea has vowed nuclear strikes on the U.S., analysts outside the country have seen no proof that North Korean scientists have yet mastered the technology needed to build a nuclear warhead small enough to mount on a missile.
President Park so far has outlined a policy that looks to re-engage North Korea, stressing the need for greater trust while saying Pyongyang will "pay the price" for any provocation. Last week she approved a shipment of anti-tuberculosis medicine to the North.
Since 2004, the Kaesong factories have operated with South Korean money and know-how, with North Korean factory workers managed by South Koreans.
Inter-Korean trade, which includes a small amount of humanitarian aid sent to the North and components and raw materials sent to Kaesong complex to build finished products, amounted to nearly $2 billion in 2012, according to South Korea's Unification Ministry.
Associated Press writer Youkyung Lee contributed to this report.


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Let us not mince words; Tol Barad is a brutal battleground. It's not just that the fights are intense – they are – and it's not just that it heavily favors the defense – it does. No, Tol Barad's brutality is that it can and will break your faction's spirit.
We know that attacking Tol Barad is difficult. Truly difficult. The odds are against your assault team. You need more leadership, more communication, and more willpower to take this island than any other PvP objective in the game. Taking Tol Barad is really hard. Keeping it is hard, too.
The obstacles in our way are not trivial, but nor will they stop us. Why do we try to become Kingslayers or reach the gold cap? Why do we chase Insane titles or try for achievements at absurdly low levels?
We do them because they focus our attention, sharpen our effort, and make us better players. We do these things not because they are easy, but rather because they are hard.
We choose to win Tol Barad.
Above is the logical map of the Tol Barad battleground. The objectives for each team are relatively straightforward.
- Attackers: Control all three bases (ICG, WV, Slag) at the same time before time runs out.
- Defenders: Prevent this from happening.
Tol Barad is a battleground of motion and flow. A base is yours when you have more people inside its walls for longer than the opponent. Controlling bases is not about stealth or individual heroics, of elite groups going to capture flags. Defensive control is achieved by letting your troops flow like water from one objective to the next, of overwhelming each node with volume. Offensive control is gained through striking quickly at the right time to disrupt the defensive flow, of seizing the initiative, and of timing the capture of bases just right.
To understand Tol Barad, you must understand how troops will flow. Your troops, your opponent's troops; in life, and in death. You have to understand both the terrain and the resurrection vectors of where you fight.
If you stand your ground, stubbornly holding onto one node above the others, the battle will flow around you and wear you down until you lose. If you scatter like the wind across the map, you will not have the focus to take any base; disperse, and you will lose.
At any individual base, the attackers have the advantage over time. Attackers who die will respawn close to the base every 30 seconds, about 5 seconds away from reentering the base. Defenders who die will rez back in Baradin Hold, about 15 seconds away from the base.
As a battleground as a whole, however, the defenders have the advantage over time. Defenders who die will respawn 15 seconds away from any given base (the purple lines), allowing them easy access from node to node. Attackers are forced to go around the triangle (the green lines), which takes 35 seconds to go from the front gate of one node to the front gate of another node. If Attackers die and go counterclockwise around the map, the time is reduced to about 25-28 seconds. If they go clockwise, it is increased to almost 45 seconds per move.
The key to winning Tol Barad is understanding the tension between these two fundamental truths of the battleground.
Defenders need to:
- Move as a cohesive unit to establish numeric superiority at a single location.
- Flow troops away from that location when it is attacked to strengthen the next location.
- Delay the attackers as long as possible at each node without reinforcing it.
Attackers need to:
- Move as 2-3 cohesive units to establish numeric superiority at each base.
- Flow troops away from a winning battle to counter the flow of the defense.
- Delay the defenders when they are not at a node; distract and scatter them so they cannot congregate.
If the Defenders can stay together and flow from base to base, they will win.
If the Attackers can disrupt the Defender's flow and scatter them, while not themselves dispersing, they will win.
Tol Barad is heavily weighted towards defense. That doesn't mean that you don't have to try on defense, but rather that if you put forth the same effort as the offense, you'll likely still win. Nothing in life or PvP is guaranteed. This game doesn't hand you Tol Barad just for showing up.
The simplest form of the strategy is:
- Begin by defending a single base with every person on your team. Everyone on your side goes to that one point until it is attacked.
- When your troops die, you do not reinforce your current base; start moving everyone to the next base instead. Chose the emptiest base to move into. While clockwise motion is slightly more advantageous than counterclockwise (the latter favors the attackers), to you all bases are equal. You can, and should go, counterclockwise if necessary.
That's it. Flow around the triangle to where your enemy is not, and you will win.
The only people who should not be in the main group are your reconnaissance units: leave one stealther at each base with strict orders to NOT ENGAGE. They are there to count heads, report enemy movements, and nothing more.
You do not need to stay at one base on defense. You can move around the triangle and overwhelm the forces holding each base. As long as you attack with more people – hopefully your entire group – then you will take the base back under your control quickly.
Pay attention to where your dead teammates should be going next. Give clear instructions to dead players so that every 30 seconds you can send a new wave of troops to the correct destination.
- If you are overwhelming a base, have the rezzers rejoin the main force.
- If you are encountering stiff resistance at a base, have the rezzers move against an empty one.
If you are in the graveyard and are not sure where you should go next, ask.
The Defenders should never actively assault 3 bases at the same time. If you leave token forces at 1 or 2 bases, but strongly fortify a 3rd, you cannot be beaten when the weak sites are lost. If you divide your forces equally between all bases, you'll lose. But you can certainly keep moving forces around and prevent the attackers from capturing any bases – it's actually quite trivial to shift your forces to make the battleground a 0/3 match if your troops are good at assaulting positions.
Sometimes, you will find yourself down 2/3 bases. The temptation will be to go to the empty base, to reinforce your last stronghold. Resist.
Open your map, and look where all your people are. If they're already at the last base, then go there. If they're not, go to where your troops are. The more troops you throw at a different base, the faster you can take it. If the empty base is going down, take a different one.
The attackers want you to overcommit to the wrong base, to confuse you, to scatter your forces.
You have to act like a single unit on defense. If everyone is going to WV, everyone goes to WV and does not stop. No exceptions.
- If you lose focus, you will lose.
- If you lose discipline, you will lose.
- If you stop outside a base, you will lose.
- If you are alone on defense, you are doing it wrong.
- If all you do is sit in a base and wait for 25 minutes, then you will win.
Your defense must flow. It must be unified. It must be reactive.
If you do those things, you will win.
Assaulting Tol Barad is hard. It's quite possibly the hardest PvP objective in the game right now. It is easy to give up, to complain it is too hard, to try to cheat the system. This is a place where despair is the greatest enemy your team will face. You can play very well and still lose. You can win every single engagement and still lose the battleground.
You cannot give up.
Taking Tol Barad requires attackers to win the last base faster than they lose another. You must take the final objective quickly, and your defenders must concentrate on holding the falling base tenaciously, to give you as much time as possible to succeed.
This sounds like a simple truism, but in practice it is quite complex. It is akin to describing juggling or riding a bike with words; how hard could it be to keep three objects in the air at the same time, or of falling in two directions at once while pushing yourself forward? These skills are easy to describe, but difficult to achieve the first time.
You will need to win one base faster than you lose another. That's it. That means:
- You must strike hard and fast as a group. You must surprise the defense and subject nodes to massive attacks, not slow sieges. Trickling troops into a base allows the defense time to adapt and flow; you cannot allow this. It is better to pull back and mass your forces outside a base rather than send individuals to be slaughtered. Waiting the extra 30-60 seconds for a larger group is almost always worth it.
- You must get as many people into a base as possible on the first try. Do not get caught outside, or allow yourself to be drawn out. Do not give chase to defenders fleeing en masse; stay and cap the base quickly while adjusting your forces elsewhere for the incoming assault.
- When defending the base you're going to lose, stay alive as long as you can. Run away. Go to the back side, don't stand in front. Use the features of the base to give you line of sight advantages. The longer you survive, the more time you have given your teammates to take the final base. Standing at the front gate and getting mowed down by the zerg might be noble and brave, but it serves no purpose aside from losing the base quicker. Every person in the base slows down the timer. Stay alive.
- Spies are not just for the defense; taking Tol Barad requires knowing where the defenders are going, where they are strong, where they are weak. Defensive behavior is somewhat easier to predict than offense, so spies placed by the central graveyard can indicate where the next resurrection wave is going, while those near the front of the bases can see the approaching troops.
Speed is both your friend and your enemy. You can beat the Defenders back to any given node, but you cannot beat the Defenders to the next node. You cannot circle around counterclockwise in one large group and expect to win. You have to make them go where you want them to go, lead them astray, scatter them, break their zerg. And to do that, sometimes you will have to go fast, and sometimes you have to go slow.
When you hold no bases, taking the first one is your priority. You can feint against all three bases equally to determine where the defense is weak and then shift your forces to taking that base, or pressure on three fronts and see which one you can grind out. The former option gives you a choice to go against a strong target instead of a weak one, which can scatter the defense as they determine where to go next. The latter can be used to gauge enemy strength, as well as your own.
Once you have the first base, you've given the defenders a target, which gives you some control over their actions. Be willing to sacrifice that first base if you can take the other two. If the defense is a unified zerg and comes after it, abandon it, split your forces, and take the other two bases. Get out before you are trapped. If the defense is split with some defending and some attacking, split your forces in return and overwhelm their defenses.
The only time you should commit to holding a base is when you are buying your team time to capture other bases. This is one of the paradoxes of attacking Tol Barad; your nominal advantage is in taking a base and keeping it, but since you need to diffuse your forces to hold the captured bases, staying to hold a base can be detrimental to winning the battle. Do not let your forces get trapped defending a base they cannot retake. Move to somewhere useful instead.
Skilled defenders will take advantage of player's stubbornness and unwillingness to abandon a task to trap your forces in a location they have no hope of taking. If you have 1/3 of your force at ICG, fighting 1/3 of their force but not taking it, or taking it very slowly? The rest of the battleground is still even, but ICG is out of play (and not yours.)
If you are slowly taking bases while attacking Tol Barad, you're doing it wrong. You have 2 minutes, maybe 3, to take each base. If you can't, then you need to fall back, regroup, and try again. Try the same place, or a different base – but don't keep running in from the graveyard to die.
You may need to reset your offensive several times throughout the battle. That's fine. Don't panic, maintain the spirits of your team when you fall back to 0/3, and start over again. Resetting the fight is necessary so that your offense doesn't get scattered. You have to be mindful of falling into several traps:
- Are you chasing the zerg around in a circle?
- Are you hammering on all three nodes with no success at any of them?
- Are the majority of your forces at a single node, yet are not taking it?
- Are your forces all over the map, with very small groups going from place to place?
If so, you need to stop and reset your offense. You cannot win the battle unless you do.
The key to offense is striking hard while juggling fire. You want to strike hard so the defense doesn't have time to shift and flow around you. You are trying to achieve victory during a fleeting moment in the battle – when the defenders have finally grown weak in their last base, but have not yet taken another one. You need to toss that last torch into the air just before the next one comes down.
Attitude is important. Spirit might (or might not) be useless on your gear, but it's essential to winning Tol Barad. People all over will have to step up and be leaders. You will have to vocally combat negative feelings and sagging morale when things go against you. Do not let the complainers demoralize your side. You will lose, but when you lose, you will not give up.
You cannot expect to win. You are not entitled to win. The game does not owe you a win. Repeat that several times until it sinks in. Get rid of the idea that you should win. Those thoughts are immaterial to the task at hand. You can play excellently and still lose, just like real life. Get over it. Try harder next time. Grow stronger! The game doesn't owe you a win.
You must work as a team. Offense requires more coordination than defense. If people on your faction are not participating – afking, gathering, etc. – call them on it. If people are not following with the group – if they're randomly running around the map – call them on it. If they are dropping raid (and therefore splitting your groups up) – call them on it. Post the afkers in the forums, if you have to, to try to shame them into helping out.
Taking Tol Barad away from the defenders is hard. Really hard. No one is arguing that now.
But that is why we do it.
The best strategy in the world cannot win the battle for you if your troops cannot execute their mission on the ground. Great leadership and communication is all for naught if you cannot do the one thing that Tol Barad absolutely requires: take control of a base away from the opposing team.
Each base has unique interior features, but the layout is basically the same:
While I can't comment on what the builders of these bases were thinking, having three gates – maybe they were taking notes from the High Clerist's Tower – the three gates dominate your strategy in each base, and you can use various tactics to turn them to your advantage.
Let's look at how Defenders can use the proximity of the Attacker's GY against them.
The above map depicts the attackers trying to come in through the front gate. The defense is spread throughout the base but sends some strong DPS classes out to meet the rush, maintaining line of sight with the healers. By stunning, slowing, or CCing the incoming attack outside of the base, the attacking players never count towards moving the slider bar. The few attackers who get inside are isolated from their teammates, and while they can cause damage, the attacks are unfocused, unfiltered. At best you might be able to get a few healers down before the attack starts to falter.
The second stage of this defense is to separate the initial assault from the rez waves that will spawn. The attack has been split in two, with a strong central defense between the two.
The assault might have a chance, except that the defense is doing the right thing again; forcing the attackers to fight outside the base by engaging them there. Over time, the attackers might be able to mount a good push through the GY gate, but it's going to take some time – time which favors the defenders.
- When attacking a base, get inside.
- When defending a base, draw the attackers outside.
Let's look at a different way this base assault could have gone.
By feinting to the front with a decoy, the attackers are able to draw some of the defenders away and out, while drawing everyone's attention forward, towards the front gate, while they mass at the far gate for a massed charge inside the base.
While it's tempting to go after the main group of defenders, it's better to instead establish a presence in the rear of the base. Get everyone inside before the shooting starts, that way you can't be drawn outside. It also forces the defenders to shift their forces, like so:
Now, while the attackers are still spit, they've changed the position of the defenders so that they will have to move away from the GY gate to fight one force, while the rez waves hit them from behind.
The drawback to this kind of assault – besides needing coordination and planning – is that the attackers do not have any way to intercept the defensive rez waves, coming from Baradin Hold. This usually shouldn't be an issue except during the final battle.
Now let's look at it from the attackers holding the base.
In many ways, this is a similar layout to the previous example, but the roles are reversed and the sides are switched. It is generally impractical for Defenders to attack from either of the side gates at first, as the front gate is the closest to Baradin Hold's graveyard. Instead of defending towards the GY gate, attackers should shift their forces to cover an attack from the far gate instead, as their own rez waves will be there later on to intercept the incoming attackers (and keep them out of the base).
What's interesting is that the same rules apply – if you want to attack a base, do the unexpected:
Charge the flanks instead of the front, go through the graveyard, and hit the base's defenders from behind. Reinforcements can then flow in through the front gate, and you turn around and establish a new front at the graveyard gate.
The supposed advantage of the attacker's graveyard is only one in terms of time: the attacking force will return to battle faster than defenders. But because that advantage of time requires them to use a set path, it can be turned against them.
This set path is why attackers need to take a base quickly. Drawn out conflicts mean that the majority of the attacker's force will be coming in from the graveyard, where they can be stopped and overwhelmed.
To sum up:
- Causing distractions at the front gate is good. Assaulting it in force is not.
- Attacking in force on the side away from your graveyard lets you establish better positioning within the base. Within the base means you count.
- Defending a base requires you to meet the opponent outside the base and keep them there. Melee DPS should go out to meet them, ranged DPS should stop them at a distance, and healers should bring up the rear.
- If you get stopped outside the base, getting inside is your priority.
One final word about taking bases: sometimes, your team can't do it. They may outnumber the defenders but are outgeared; they may be primarily clad in PvE gear against PvP gear; they may just not be very good at PvP. It happens.
What you need to do when your team is outmatched and can't win the 1:1 matchups is try to reset. Move those people to defense on another node, or have them join a larger assault. Reset the fight and pull them out. You don't have any real control over who does and doesn't get into Tol Barad, but you can move them around as needed. If ICG is stuck, have everyone at ICG go to WV – and have Slags go to ICG.
Taking that final base on offense is going to require your best effort. If the team sent in to do the job can't do it, shift quickly and try something different. You don't want to get stuck having the same people futilely grind against a base for 15 minutes when it's the last one to fall.
If you're defense, though, that suits you just fine.
As opposed to strategy, there are some tactical things you can do to help your success in Tol Barad. These apply to both attackers and defenders alike.
Form your raid groups before the battle and assign tasks. Tol Barad can be taken very quickly by a coordinated offense that starts immediately towards their goals. Remember forming the Wintergrasp raids before each battle? Well, there is no reason you shouldn't be doing that right now. This is something the offense should certainly do, as it gives them the ability to try for a quick win when the battle starts. Send half to Slag and half to WV, and let the stragglers get ICG, and the game is over.
Use guilds to help coordinate team assignments. A guild should be a unit that is already used to working together, and it's easier to dispatch a guild to do a task than try to assign arbitrary units. Telling the Knights Who Say Ni to go reinforce Slags is more efficient than saying "we need some more over here at Slags!"
Get your side to use PvP addons. Addons like Healers Have To Die, when used by a lot of your team, can help focus your attacks on the primary targets (sorry, healers) and take them down first. Talk up the utility of your favorite PvP addon in Tol Barad general chat.
Use magic to help you move. I'm not just talking about Life Grip (back in base, silly!), Death Grip (out of the base!), and various forms of knockback to bounce people out of the base. I'm also not talking about various creative uses of your warlock teleport circle, or Blink. No, I'm also talking about using the demon TIVO itself – Ritual of Summoning – to move your forces around. Especially in coordination with guilds and preformed raids, this can help move your healers around to get them to the next hotspot before the invasion happens.
You have spies; use them. You should be using spies; stealthed units with the ability to report what they see. Spies in each base can give you troop counts and positioning, as well as join in to take out scouts or healers when your assault comes. Defenders should park someone in each base; attackers might be able to get away with stationing someone in Baradin Hold, but it's better if the bases are monitored, too.
I spend a lot of time in Tol Barad looking at the above map. What's going on? Why are we winning? Why are we losing? Where do we need people? Where are we strong, where are we weak?
This is a hard battleground to win as the attackers. The defenders have a somewhat simpler strategy to follow, one that is also more forgiving of individual errors and weaknesses. Go here, now go here. But just because it's simple for the defenders and complex for the attackers doesn't mean that the battleground is responsible for your particular loss. Did you have a plan? Did you execute on that plan? Were you able to take the bases you needed to take? Did you stay together, or did you get scattered?
In a normal, balanced battleground, a loss comes down to one team playing better than the other. Maybe you played poorly, maybe they played well – but whatever it was, one team played better than the other.
Tol Barad is different. Tol Barad is biased, heavily, towards the defenders. Winning as an attacker should feel big, because it is big. But it's not going to happen every time.
Sometimes, you will do everything right and still lose Tol Barad. That's okay. Don't beat yourself, or your teammates, up about it. Get over it, learn what you can from it, and try again in two hours.
You're not going to win Tol Barad all the time.
I think that's the thing that I have learned the most over the last few weeks in Tol Barad – it's not a no-win situation. This is not the Kobyashi Maru test, a true scenario with no possible way to win.
It's just hard. Really hard at times, but hard.
At some point, someone on your server will do it. They'll flip Tol Barad to the other faction. Perhaps they lead a brilliant assault. Perhaps they queue in the late night hours and stay up until the morning making sure it doesn't switch hands.
Tol Barad is neither fair nor balanced. It is a rock that you can dash your faction against and lose repeatedly. It is a place you can hold for a week and then wonder how you lost in a matter of minutes.
It is not always fun. It is not always rewarding. It is a hard battleground.
But you can win it.
Good luck.


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Banks Arcade on tour: NO
Concerts50 doesn't sell Banks Arcade tour tickets directly, just redirect/link to other resale sites. Banks Arcade concert tour schedule and other touring info can be updated at any moment. We are not responsible for the price difference or its accuracy displayed here and on external sites.


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The countdown is over. Today, July 1, 2013, Old Dominion University begins a new era in its athletic history as a member of Conference USA.
The Monarchs are one of eight institutions joining C-USA today, bringing the league's membership for 2013-14 to 16 teams. Joining ODU as new members are Middle Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, North Texas and Texas San Antonio. East Carolina, Marshall, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Southern Mississippi, Tulane, Tulsa, Texas El Paso and Rice comprise the rest of the league membership.
"Old Dominion University's move to Conference USA will elevate the national profile of our athletic program and provide opportunities for new levels of excellence. With its national footprint and extensive television package, Conference USA will also raise awareness of the university's outstanding academic and research programs and reach a new audience of students looking for the energetic and challenging college experience ODU offers, " says Old Dominion University President John Broderick.
Conference USA is an established, nationally recognized FBS Conference that sponsors 20 sport championships, which will be home for 12 of ODU's sport programs. While all of ODU's sport programs other than football have been competing on the Division I level since 1976, the reclassification of football to FBS (formerly known as I-A) status comes just four years after the university brought football back to the campus in 2009. The Monarchs have posted a 38-10 record over that span, becoming one of the most successful FCS start-up programs in history, and have been in the top five in FCS attendance with 29 consecutive sellouts of 20,000 fans per game.
"Today, July 1, is a day the Old Dominion athletic program has been looking forward to since our announcement on May 17, 2012, when we announced we were joining Conference USA," says ODU Director of Athletics Dr. Wood Selig.
"Conference USA has tremendous brand awareness with its members spanning 10 states, representing 12 of the top 65 media markets in the U.S. Membership in the conference will elevate the competitiveness of our sports programs to a higher national level, which in turn will assist our coaches in recruiting some of the best athletes from across the country, as well as internationally. We are delighted today to become a member of Conference USA," adds Selig.
Football will not compete in the conference until 2014, as they begin the first year of the transition from the FCS to FBS level of football classification this fall, playing a mixed schedule of five FBS and seven FCS schools. The Monarchs will play eight C-USA opponents and be eligible for the league championship in 2014, and eligible for one of the six C-USA affiliated bowl games in 2015. Conference USA members also enjoy significant national and regional television exposure and revenue sharing through a multi-tiered package that includes partnerships with CBS Sports Network, Fox Sports Media Group and ESPN. Two of ODU's football games this fall will be carried by the Fox College Sports Network, including the opening contest on Aug. 31 at East Carolina (7 p.m.) and the season home finale on Nov. 16 vs. Charlotte (noon).
"Old Dominion will be a welcome addition and a tremendous fit within our conference. Their institution enjoys a storied history, forward-thinking leadership and unlimited growth potential." says Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky.
Conference USA sponsors championships in football, baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's golf, softball, women's swimming, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, women's rowing, and women's volleyball. ODU does not field teams for men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, softball and women's volleyball. ODU field hockey will compete as an associate member this fall in the BIG EAST Conference, while wrestling joins the Mid-American Conference, also as an associate member. The women's lacrosse program will compete as an independent in 2014 and join the Atlantic Sun Conference as an associate member in 2014-15. The co-ed and women's sailing programs compete as a non-scholarship member of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association.
Old Dominion had been a member of the Colonial Athletic Association since 1992, where it enjoyed great success by winning 51 conference crowns, led by 17 straight women's basketball titles from 1992 to 2009, 15 crowns in field hockey and six men's basketball championships. In joining C-USA, the Monarchs will be reunited with former CAA member East Carolina, as well as Charlotte and UAB, both former members of the Sun Belt Conference where ODU was a member from 1982 – 1991. ODU elevated its athletic programs from NCAA Division II status to Division I in 1976 and competed as a member in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) from 1977-1982.
What ODU Coaches are saying about joining Conference USA
Bobby Wilder, Football
"What an exciting time for Old Dominion football. Our program and fan base has been energized with the move up to FBS and C-USA. We have felt the positive effects in all areas of our program especially our current student-athletes and future Monarchs. With future non-league games against the likes of East Carolina, Maryland, Pittsburgh and North Carolina, to compliment an exciting C-USA schedule in 2014, we know our program will continue to gain momentum for our current team, future recruits, and 12th Monarchs everywhere."
Jeff Jones, Men's Basketball
"Today is a special day as we move our program forward in Conference USA. I am very excited about the new opportunities and challenges ahead as we spread our brand to new regions of the United States. The move is not only a benefit for our entire athletic program, but for our fans, the Hampton Roads community and our alumni."
Karen Barefoot, Women's Basketball
"We are eager and excited to join Conference USA for a variety of reasons. First, it's a strong conference both academically and athletically. C-USA women's basketball currently holds a high RPI and there are a multitude of talented players and coaches in the league with strong fan bases. The Lady Monarchs look forward to competing at a high level and being an asset to an already outstanding conference."
Joe Pereira, Women's Soccer
"We are looking forward to this exciting move to C-USA not only as an athletic department but as a rebuilding program. We are embracing all the new challenges with travel and new opponents as a great opportunity to establish ourselves as one of the top teams in C-USA."
Alan Dawson, Men's Soccer
"C-USA men's soccer is one of the most competitive leagues in the country. The quality of the league is reflected not only on the playing field but also in the commitment to soccer venues and facilities. We are excited to meet the challenge that C-USA presents to us and look forward to a bright future in the league."
Carol Robertson, Women's Golf
"I am so happy for our school and program to take this step. The women's golf team looks forward to the increased caliber of competition in C-USA."
Murray Rudisill, Men's Golf
"C-USA will be a big step-up for men's golf. It is one of the top conferences in the country. The past two years the conference sent six to seven teams to the NCAA golf tournament and many are ranked in the top 30 in the country. We look forward to the challenge ahead."
Chris Finwood, Baseball
"We are very excited about our move to Conference USA. Everyone involved with our baseball program is looking forward to competing in what is traditionally one of the best best baseball conferences in the country. There are a number of outstanding programs and coaches in the conference and being in a "southern" baseball conference really helps us sell ODU baseball to young men all over the country."
Aljosa Piric, Men's Tennis
"We are thrilled to be going to C-USA. This move will be a step up for men's tennis. It will mean a higher level of exposure and competition for our student-athletes and our coaching staff. C-USA has historically been one of the strongest tennis conferences in the country, usually placing five to six teams into national rankings. Our players and coaches are ready to embrace the challenge and opportunity that lays ahead for our program with this new move to C-USA."
Dominic Manilla, Women's Tennis
"The move to C-USA is an exciting step forward for ODU women's tennis. Last year five teams represented C-USA in the NCAA Tournament. Coaching, recruiting, and academic success are all now held to a higher standard. Our program is set to embrace this challenge and we look forward to hosting the C-USA tournament in 2014."
Dan Garbutt, Women's Rowing
"Moving to C-USA gives us a wider recruiting base, which in turn helps us to improve our competitive depth. The change increases the competitiveness of our schedule with some of the top programs in the nation competing for conference honors. We are very excited about the direction for our sport."
Carol Withus, Men's and Women's Swimming
"I am thrilled with our future in the C-USA! The level of competition raises dramatically not only in swimming, but also in diving. The championship meet being held in the 1996 Olympic pool (Atlanta) is a statement in itself to the commitment the C-USA places on swimming. The addition of platform diving raises the bar in diving to the highest level. I look forward to the opportunities swimming and diving will have in the C-USA."


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I created a new Pinterest board this morning, Art Direct From Artists, where artists may pin images of their available art with retail price on each image. For artists who pin their art images to this new Pinterest group art board, I will re-pin your images to other appropriate Pinterest boards, plus every time I pin or re-pin your art image it will appear in my Twitter feed. I've had several top art galleries favorite Pinterest images in my Twitter feed for @Transmediartist. Plus, there is a new Pinterest option, a *Send Board* button at the top of the board. Once the board has artwork with retail prices I will work to find interior designers and other art buyers to send the board to. As creator of this group board I have curatorial options to remove any images that do not follow the board guidelines, such as lacking retail price or poor image quality.
If you'd like to add your art to the new Art Direct From Artists Pinterest Board simply let me know your Pinterest user name in a comment here. Once I add your user name to the group board you will receive an invitation via Pinterest. Accept, read the short group tips and instructions and add your art images. Add as many as you wish. (UPDATE: Please add Marie Kazalia on Pinterest to make it easy to join this group broad.)
Be sure to include your retail price on your Pinterest Pins of your art images!
While Social Media Examiner articles are not specifically about marketing fine art, their recent article 7 Pinterest Marketing Tips to Improve Visibility really hit the nail on the head for art marketing on Pinterest.
Social Media Examiner's #1 tip for using Pinterest–
#1: Include Price Tags
Pinterest users aren't just looking for creative inspiration on the network. They're also ready to buy.
Make sure you include a price tag in the pins you create or repin. After all, Pinterest drives more referral traffic than Google+, YouTube, and LinkedIn combined. More importantly, Pinterest pins with prices get 36 percent more likes than those without.
Providing a bit of general inspiration is great, but as a business person and a marketer you ultimately want to drive traffic to your site and inspire a purchase as well.


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With these brackets, Bestop's seats will bolt right into your Wrangler. For driver or passenger side. One set needed per seat.
Bestop Cargo Liners
Bestop Floor Liners
Your Jeep's top reflects personal style and protects against the elements of sun, rain, snow and mud and Bestop's soft tops are popular choices for replacing OEM soft tops. Whether it's a tough top that will be exposed to harsh elements or a refined one that you think fits your Jeep's style better, Bestop has the track record and the complete line to make your journey more memorable. A classic Supertop, Bikini or Halftop or Sunrider instantly transforms your 4x4, providing protection, ventilation, tinting and maintaining its shape through temperature fluctuations. Easy to attach and easy to get attached to, Bestop is the premium brand when it comes to Jeep tops. Shop Bestop Now
Join our mailing list to receive information on new products, special events, discounts and more!


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Did you narrow your search by selecting from the "Refine By" boxes? Try removing those filters from the bar above to broaden the search.
Help future generations understand King's life and his significance in the global struggle for peace, justice, and reconciliation.
© Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305. Copyright Complaints


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- New
- MicrofiberMICROFIBER BY USEHave confidence in your purchase. All Norwex Microfiber products carry a two-year warranty. Learn more
- Laundry
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The dual-handle Back Scrubber pulls double duty to clean and mildly exfoliate those hard-to-reach places without the strain of twisting and turning to reveal your best skin possible. Your skin will look silky soft and more radiant, and feel smoother and rejuvenated after one shower. Great for neck, shoulders and feet, too.
For men and women.
Do you feel like a contortionist when trying to clean and exfoliate the skin on your back? So you think, "Out of sight, out of mind. Nobody is going to see it." You'll just live with the rough, dry skin and uneven skin tone.
Get smoother skin while experiencing a spa-like treatment at home! Rejuvenate and clean your skin with our easy-to-use, mildly exfoliating Back Scrubber with BacLock®* technology.
Grab the handles with each hand and position it across your back. With mesh side touching your back, use a back-and-forth motion to exfoliate skin. Hang to dry.
Caring for Microfiber
Exfoliating not only whisks away complexion-dulling dead skin cells, it also helps with hydration by revealing new skin that brings essential lipids and moisture to the skin's topmost layer.
All Norwex Microfiber products carry a two-year warranty. Please visit www.norwex.com for complete details.
*Contains BacLock®, an antibacterial agent for self-cleansing purposes only. The agent is solely designed to inhibit odor from bacteria, mold and/or mildew growth within the product.


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If you like majestic open spaces, fine architecture, and courteous locals, Finland is for you. Mother Nature dictates life in this Nordic land, where winter brings perpetual darkness, and summer, perpetual light. Crystal clear streams run through vast forests lighted by the midnight sun, and reindeer roam free. Even the arts mimic nature: witness the music of Jean Sibelius, Finland's most famous son, which can swing from a somber nocturne of midwinter darkness to the tremolo of sunlight slanting through pine and birch, or from the crescendo of a blazing sunset to the pianissimo of the next day's dawn. The architecture of Alvar Aalto and the Saarinens—Eliel and son Eero, visible in many US cities, also demonstrates the Finnish affinity with nature, with soaring spaces evocative of Finland's moss-floored forests.
Until 1917, Finland was under the domination of its nearest neighbors, Sweden and Russia, who fought over it for centuries. After more than 600 years under the Swedish crown and 100 under the Russian czars, the country inevitably bears many traces of the two cultures, including a small (just under 6%) but influential Swedish-speaking population and a scattering of Orthodox churches.
There is a tough, resilient quality to the Finns, descended from wandering tribes who probably migrated from the south and southwest before the Christian era. Finland is one of the few countries that shared a border with the Soviet Union in 1939 and retained its independence. Indeed, no country fought the Soviets to a standstill as the Finns did in the grueling 105-day Winter War of 1939–40. This resilience stems from the turbulence of the country's past and from the people's determination to work the land and survive the long, dark winters.
The country's role as a crossroads between East and West is vibrantly reflected in Helsinki, from which it has become increasingly convenient to arrange brief tours to Tallinn (the capital of Estonia), and St. Petersburg, Russia. The architectural echoes of St. Petersburg in Helsinki are particularly striking in the "white night" light of June. Tallinn, with its medieval Old Town and bargain shopping, is a popular trip that can be done in a day. Traveling there takes an hour and a half by hydrofoil, three and a half by ferry.
"The strength of a small nation lies in its culture," noted Finland's leading 19th-century statesman and philosopher, Johan Vilhelm Snellman. As though inspired by this thought, Finns—who are among the world's top readers—continue to nurture a rich cultural climate, as is illustrated by the 900 museums and numerous festivals throughout Finland that continue to attract top performers in jazz (Pori), big bands (Imatra), opera (Savonlinna), folk music (Kaustinen), and rock (Ruisrock in Turku).
The average Finn volunteers little information, but that's a result of reserve, not indifference. Make the first approach and you may have a friend for life. Finns like their silent spaces, though, and won't appreciate backslapping familiarity—least of all in the sauna, still regarded by many as a spiritual as well as a cleansing experience.


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Al-Qaeda chief calls for attacks inside US
Ayman al-Zawahiri urges followers to 'bleed America economically'; warns jihadist fighters in Syria not to 'compromise' with secular factions
CAIRO (AP) — Al-Qaeda's leader on Friday marked the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks by calling on Muslims to strike inside the United States, with big attacks or small, using any opportunity they can to "bleed" America financially.
In an audio message released two days after the 12th anniversary of the attacks, Ayman al-Zawahiri said America is not a "mythic power" and that the mujahedeen — Islamic holy warriors — can defeat it with attacks "on its own soil."
Al-Zawahiri, the successor to Osama bin Laden, used the anniversary to argue that the United States can be defeated by targeting its economy. At the same time, he also addressed the ongoing upheaval in the Arab world. Pointing to a power struggle going on within the rebellion against Syria's regime, he warned jihadi fighters in that country's civil war not to "compromise" with more secular or moderate rebel factions, who he said would eventually turn against the al-Qaeda-linked radicals.
The message's authenticity could not be independently confirmed. It was posted on a militant website commonly used by al-Qaeda.
Al-Zawahiri, who is believed to be hiding in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border regions, said al-Qaeda sympathizers should stage small attacks or a "big strike" against the United States, similar to the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington, leaving America in "a state of tension" about when and where the next hit would come.
Small attacks could be done by only a few or even just one person, while at the same time "we must watch and wait to seize any opportunity to direct a large strike on (America), even if that takes years of patience to do it," he said.
"We should bleed America economically by motivating it to continue its huge expenditure on its security as America's weak point is its economy, which already has begun stumbling because of the military and security expenditure," he said. "America is not a mythic power and the Americans, after all, are humans who can be defeated, felled and punished."
He urged the Islamic world to "abandon the dollar and replace it with a currency of other countries that are not taking part in the aggression against us."
On Syria's civil war, al-Zawahiri addressed al-Qaeda-linked jihadis — including many foreign fighters — who have taken an increasingly prominent role in the fight against President Bashar Assad's regime. Their rise has caused tensions with more moderate Syrian rebel factions, even escalating to violence and turf battles. The United States and its allies have said they want to build up moderate rebel factions to reduce jihadi influence.
America wants to use "the Muslim people as a means to topple the pro-Iran Baathist regime and install a secular government and peaceful to Israel," al-Zawahiri said. It "will try to push the mujahedeen to compromise with the secular factions and the enemies of Islam."
"I warn my brothers in Syria against any compromise with those factions. They have to learn the lesson of Egypt," al-Zawahiri said. He was referring to the army-backed overthrow of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood.
Regarding Egypt — his homeland — al-Zawahiri denounced what he called the "massacre" and 'savage crimes" in the crackdown by authorities on Morsi's Brotherhood and other Islamists. Still, he dismissed Morsi, saying he did not implement Shariah during his year in office and maintained Egypt's relations with Israel. Al-Zawahiri said the crackdown targeted not the Brotherhood, but "the Islamic orientation" in general, because "our American enemies realize the dangers of raising the Islamic banner."
The military-backed authorities in Egypt have arrested several thousand Brotherhood members and Islamists. At the same time, the country has seen increasing violence by al-Qaeda-inspired militants, who have stepped up attacks on the military and police in the Sinai Peninsula and have begun extending attacks to the capital, Cairo.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.


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We're hiring! Earn while doing good in your community.
Part-Time Companion Caregiver in Southfield, MI (and surrounding areas)
What is a Papa Pal? Papa Pals are part-time companion caregivers who support Papa members, providing things like help around the house, shopping, car rides, and companionship. Papa members include older adults, seniors and families.
Papa Pals make a difference in their communities. Papa Pals are kind, patient and reliable people who love to help others.
What is Papa? Papa connects members and their families to real people for help with companionship, everyday tasks, car rides, and more. It's a benefit provided by hundreds of health insurance and benefit plans. Anyone can apply to work as a Papa Pal, but you can only get Papa services through your benefits.
Being a Papa Pal is a great job for people who:
- Have life experience helping others
- Want a flexible, part-time schedule
- Enjoy variety at work
- Want to help their community
- Are kind, friendly, and reliable
Working as a Papa Pal: Papa Pals use the mobile app to see hourly work opportunities, which are called visits. You make your own schedule and choose the type of visit. Most visits are 2-4 hours.
Types of visits include:
- Companionship: Have conversations, watch movies, play board games, go for walks, and more
- Errands: Lend a hand with grocery shopping and picking up prescriptions
- House Tasks: Help around the house with laundry, light cleaning, pet care, meal prep, and more
- Transportation: Drive members to the doctor or dentist and help them get where they need to go
Pay: Earn $18.00/hr an hour as a Papa Pal, plus bonuses. When bonuses apply, you can earn between $17 and $20 an hour or more.
Mileage: Depending on where you live, Papa reimburses mileage for your commute to each visit.
Transportation Visits: If you provide transportation to a Papa member, Papa reimburses that mileage as well.
Requirements to work with Papa:
- Age 21 or above
- U.S. work authorization
- Valid form of ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport)
- Available to work immediately
- Caring, patient and reliable personality
- Valid driver's license and proof of insurance (only if you want to do transportation visits)
- Clean and dependable vehicle (only if you want to do transportation visits)
- Must be able to pass background check
No health care experience is required to become a Papa Pal.
Your application includes a background check. Papa pays for the background check.
We're looking for people from all walks of life who want a rewarding and flexible job!
Papa is growing in Southfield, MI. Ready to join us?


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Today was the opening day for Kosherfest at the Meadowlands Exposition Center, in Seacaucus (NJ). Not only was the number of exhibitors bigger than ever, but so was the attendance. There is no question that the kosher consumer is more and more demanding, both in the number of items as well as in their quality. I only stayed for a few hours, as I had prior obligations so I decided to go for some unusual or otherwise interesting items.
First, however, we decided to meet some of the cookbook authors we reviewed recently and had interviewed over the phone and on radio.
Paula Shoyer, recently had her The Kosher Baker published by Brandeis University. It is one of the most beautiful kosher cookbooks both SYR or I have ever seen.
Susie Fishbein, the top kosher cookbook author and whose Kosher by Design series sold globally in numbers comparable to the world's top cookbook authors was there too…
We reviewed a pre-publication copy of her newest – Kosher by Design Teens and 20 Somethings (due to hit the stores on October the 27th!) – yesterday.
Quite a few exhibitors used the occasion to launch new lines, among them we were happy to see that Lévana Kirschenbaum finally and officially put her new bakery products on the market. At the beginning of the summer SYR and I were among the exclusive few who got to taste these delicacies…
As I searched for unusual products, I spotted these unusual bottles of Tequila…
I then tasted the middle bottle of the Agave 99 line…
Next I did a tasting of the Secreto line of wines from Argentina.
I first tried their Malbec (80% Malbec – Argentina's most famous wine grape – and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon); I followed it with their Cabernet Sauvignon (80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Malbec); next I tried their Trivarietal (50% Bonarda, 25% Malbec and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon). I found all three to be excellent selections, especially in their price range ($10-$12).
I then saw a line of medicinal teas from Spain, Helps by Pharmadus.
Next we saw Tammy Polatskek's new line of superbly designed dishes under the Carmona label.
Beautiful, contemporary shapes that will greatly enhance the pleasure of any meal, the beauty of any table.
Before we left we passed by the booth of Happy Hearts Wine…
They distribute Israeli wines from from small boutique wine producers like, Odem Mountain Winery, Or Haganuz Winery, the Mony Estate Vineyards, Dovev Winery, Hameshubach Winery, and the Efrat Winery. Their selections were quite good, I was familiar with some of their labels already.
We didn't cover as much as we would have liked, especially after some very interesting products we sa, but I'm going back tomorrow and I expect to cover far more ground.


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Buying & Selling Gold
Do you have old jewelry that you don't wear anymore?
Bring it in to Jeff Dennis Jewelers and we'll pay you in cash!!
Every minute, the price of gold changes, and within the last few years, the price of gold risen astronomically compared to historical data. For years, gold held a steady price per ounce around $400, but today, it's well over $1,000 per ounce!
The chart below reflects the live price of gold at this very minute.
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text: We are a global company and lifestyle brand providing high quality services for those seeking to buy and sell real estate properties. We distinguish ourselves by providing our clients with exceptional service and support. Since 1977, we have been the select provider of high-end premium real estate service throughout Europe, Asia and North America. We use the latest technologies, manage an extensive network of exclusive listings and potential buyers, partner with influential media outlets, and employ the highest-caliber agents who strive to represent our distinguished brand. Our style of doing business originates from our early success as a luxury property agency.


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Today Is Day 212 of the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge.
Did you write yesterday? Let us know your Day 211 word count in the comments.
What is the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge? It is simple: Write something every day.
Write a little, write a lot. Just write. You have all day.
It doesn't matter if you write 5 words, 5,000 words or something in between. The idea is to establish a daily writing habit. If you miss a day, don't worry. Write today and report tomorrow on your success.
A great journey begins with one step. A great writing habit begins with one word. Go!
Check back tomorrow for the Day 212 Report and let us know how you did.
Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer


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CDC: First national sign of childhood obesity drop
ATLANTA — For many years, doctors have been wringing their hands as more and more U.S. children grew fat. Now, that may be changing, with the first evidence of a national decline in childhood obesity.
In 18 states, there were at least slight drops in obesity for low-income preschoolers, health officials said Tuesday.
After decades on the rise, childhood obesity rates recently have essentially been flat. A few places — Philadelphia, New York City and Mississippi — reported improvements in the last couple of years. But the report from the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention shows signs of wider-ranging progress.
"Now, for the first time, we're seeing a significant decrease in childhood obesity" nationally, said Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC director.
But rates are still too high, he added. One in 8 preschoolers is obese in the United States, and it's even more common in black and Hispanic kids.
"It's not like we're out of the woods," he said during a conference call with reporters Tuesday.
Obesity continues to be one of the nation's leading public health problems — health officials call it a longstanding epidemic. A third of U.S. children and teens and more than two-thirds of adults are obese or overweight.
Some hope the report marks a turning point.
"I really do think this is a pivotal moment," said Sam Kass, executive director of a White House initiative to reduce childhood obesity.
Preschoolers who are overweight or obese are five times more likely than other children to be heavy as adults, which means greater risks of high cholesterol, high blood sugar, asthma and even mental health problems.
Tuesday's study used height and weight measurements from nearly 12 million low-income children in 40 states. The data was collected from 2008 through 2011.
Most of the children ages 2 to 4 were enrolled in the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, which provides food vouchers and other services.
It's harder to get national data on preschoolers of more affluent families, so it's not clear if the trend applies to all young children. But experts note that low-income kids tend to be heavier.
"If you're going to look at the problem of obesity early in childhood, the group at highest risk are low-income kids. That's what makes this data so valuable for understanding trends in this major public health problem," said Dr. Matthew Davis, a University of Michigan researcher who tracks health policy and children's health issues.
The biggest declines were in Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey and South Dakota. Each saw their obesity numbers fall at least 1 percentage point.
Other states showing improvement: California, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Washington. A substantial decline was also seen in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"These signs of progress tell a clear story: we can reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. It isn't some kind of unstoppable force," said Dr. James S. Marks, in a statement. He's senior vice president at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropy that supports programs to tackle obesity.
Despite the improvements, the numbers are still disappointing. Hawaii was the best, with about 9 percent of low-income preschoolers estimated to be obese in 2011. Even with some progress, California was worst, at nearly 17 percent.
Ten states were not included; some had changed how they track height and weight. One of the missing states is Texas, which has one of the largest populations of low-income children and is known to have a significant problem with childhood obesity.
Of the remaining 40 states, 18 showed at least slight improvement and 19 states and Puerto Rico had no significant change. Three states — Colorado, Pennsylvania and Tennessee — increased.
The last CDC study to look at childhood obesity data this way found very different results. From 2003 to 2008, significant declines in preschooler obesity were seen in only nine states and increases were seen in 24 states.
"We're seeing great progress," said the CDC's Ashleigh May, lead author of the new study.
The report didn't answer why some states improved while most others held steady, and Davis said there's a pressing need to do more research and understand how some states were able to scale back.
CDC officials said a change in WIC policies probably played a major role. The changes — instituted in 2009 — eliminated juice from infant food packages, provided less saturated fat, and made it easier to buy fruits and vegetables. Breast-feeding rates have been increasing, and kid's raised on mother's milk tend to have lower obesity rates, experts said.
Childhood obesity has been a focus of the Obama White House, with first lady Michelle Obama leading a campaign called "Let's Move!" Kass, the program's chief administrator, said thousands of preschools and day care centers across the country have pledged to increase physical playtime and serve healthier foods.
"While this announcement reflects important progress, we also know that there is tremendous work still to be done to support healthy futures for all our children," Michelle Obama said in a statement.


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"Is the BlackBerry Z10 a groundbreaking smartphone? No, but it is a compelling BlackBerry device and runs on a solid new operating system."
- Comfortable, balanced, and good-looking design
- Efficient operating system
- Good performance
- Well-designed touch keyboard
- Cameras capture quality images and video
- Screen is prone to smudges
- BlackBerry World needs more quality apps
In its 2013 Superbowl spot, BlackBerry went with a whimsical ad that supposedly showed off what the BlackBerry Z10 can't do because 30 seconds is too short a time to show you what it can do. Whether or not this is a misstep is up for marketing professionals to debate. The problem for consumers is that it makes the Z10 look more complex and possibly revolutionary than it is. It's not really hard to explain what this smartphone does in a few words because it's designed to be a straightforward experience. It's not a superphone, not a game changer, not likely to set the world of fire.
And all of that is okay.
The expectation that BlackBerry would deliver a phone far out ahead of the competition is unrealistic given how far behind the company fell. But not every phone needs to be ultra groundbreaking in order to be a good phone and draw in customers. Look at Windows Phone, which may have alienated potential users with its boxy design. The Z10 is a good phone, but not cause for fireworks. And it's still more suited to people in business suits than your average Joe.
Look and Feel
The BlackBerry Z10 is long and narrow with rounded corners and flat edges. Sound familiar? It looks a lot like the iPhone 5 and has similar dimensions because of its similarly sized screen (4.2 inches). Where the Z10 departs is in the curve to the back plate of the device, making it more comfortable in the hand than the iPhone. Plus, the back is a textured plastic, not glass, and pops off for access to the battery, microSD card slot, and SIM card.
Like a well-tailored business suit, the Z10 is good-looking and put together but not so flashy that is draws attention away from what's important: in this case, the screen. Edge-to-edge glass covers the front to create an elegant feel.
Naturally, cameras grace both the front and back, the latter supported by a LED flash. The Power button on top is rarely necessary since it's possible to wake the Z10 by swiping the screen (very cool). Uniquely, between the standard Volume buttons is a convenient Mute button, a touch we appreciate. Rounding out the tour around the edge are the ports: microSD and Micro HDMI.
At 4.9 ounces the Z10 feels solid but is not heavy. It balances in the hand well, which is important for one-handed use. Most people will be able to reach a thumb across the screen easily and the most important areas of BlackBerry 10, such as the Hub, are easy to navigate using one hand. However, because the phone is on the long side, you'll still have to do some shuffling up and down to get at the volume buttons from the Z10's natural resting place – no more than most phones these days, though.
The Z10's 4.2-inch IPS touchscreen bears a 1280×768 pixel HD resolution (that's 356ppi for those if you keeping score) and has wide viewing angles; no big surprise for an IPS display. Contrast is appropriately deep, but colors don't pop as much as on competing mainstream phones like the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S3. Nor is the screen as bright as on either of those handsets. That doesn't affect the sunlight readability, though. Unless you're directly in a sunbeam, the display is visible at full brightness.
We found the 4-point touchscreen to be responsive most of the time and accurate. Most problems we experienced were when trying to execute gestures. Swiping up from the bottom requires that you start the movement in a specific area, and we sometimes missed it. In apps that stay in landscape mode, it's more difficult to swipe up to close since the edge is much smaller.
Sadly, the screen is also a smudge magnet, and accuracy goes down in proportion to how dirty the screen gets. Keep a Toddy cloth handy.
Operating System
To get a fuller picture of everything BlackBerry 10 offers, you should read our full review (coming soon). However, there are some aspects worth mentioning here.
The centerpiece of the operating system is the BlackBerry Hub, and it's easy to get to it from anywhere else, including other apps. We like the efficiency of being able to swipe up and to the right to either go into the Hub or just peek and see which service has new messages and who sent them. The Hub is a true universal inbox that collates messages from email, BBM, social networks, chat, even incoming calls and texts.
It's easy to respond to or create new messages and status updates right from the Hub. You won't always need the computer to do so. BlackBerry's Voice Command also includes voice typing. Users can ask the Z10 to create a message, schedule a meeting, make a call, and more. The engine isn't as robust as Apple's Siri because it lacks some of the natural, conversational commands, but in practice, it's about on par in terms of accuracy. It understood what we wanted "make a call," "tweet," etc., yet had trouble with our pronunciation of some contact's names. The voice-to-text engine has to upload to a server to translate and won't work while offline, just like Siri. (Android 4.2 offers the ability to do voice recognition offline.)
This ease of input is exactly what BlackBerry users want. However, it's the keyboard experience that will determine whether buyers go with this touchscreen device or wait for the BlackBerry Q10.
The design and layout of the new BlackBerry keyboard is simplified but not simple. The look mimics the BlackBerry physical keyboards a little bit. We found that for less accurate typers the keyboard help mitigate mistakes well. The keys themselves are wide, plus they appear to take into account the letter you meant to type if you land on two at once.
The keys only contain letters, no alt-press characters. To get to numbers and punctuation beyond the comma and period, just swipe down. Once you tap a key, the alpha keyboard comes back automatically. This makes typing faster in many situations – there's no need to switch back to the alphabet keyboard if all you wanted was a question mark. You can still switch to the number/punctuation keys for extended typing if you need to.
The keyboard contains several features devoted to speeding up text input, such as swiping from right to left across the keys to erase the last word typed. Another that could, eventually, get words on the screen faster is predictive text. We say eventually because we found that trying to look out for the words as you type slows things down. Once the keyboard knows your typing style better, flicking the predicted words up will save more keystrokes and require less searching and thinking. It helps that the words appear near keys you're likely to press next.
Is it better than a physical keyboard? If you don't have fingernails or large fingers, it can be. However, the Z10's typing experience is not likely to draw away die-hard fans of actual keys. Still, it has the potential to satisfy people who use any of the many touchscreen phones on the market.
Cameras and BBM Video Chat
The 8-megapixel camera on the back takes detailed and color-rich images in good light and better than average low-light pictures as well. Low-light photos still have noise. The balance is better than average and the flash helps instead of blowing out the subject. You get all this without tweaking the settings much. This is a good thing, because there aren't many settings to tweak.
Other than image stabilization, a burst-shooting mode, a handful of selectable Scenes, and the ability to change the aspect ratio, there isn't much else to the Z10's camera. Blackberry is most proud of the TimeShift feature that lets you choose the best facial expression in a shot for those times when people blink. The Whiteboard scene setting is also worth noting. It's a feature we suspect many business users will appreciate most.
Videos come out crisp and detailed in bright and medium light. In low light, you can turn on the flash as a constant light, which helps, but may annoy the people in front of you. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the videos have good audio quality, even when the surrounding noise is loud.
The 2.0 megapixel front camera produces better than average pictures and video for a front shooter, which is great for people who'll take advantage of BlackBerry Messenger's video chat option or Skype calls when that app comes to the platform later this year. In BBM, we noted that video on both ends is crisp enough with good color and detail. Audio and video stayed synced as well.
BBM also allows screen sharing now, so it's possible to do a presentation or show pictures to your chat partner as well as talk face-to-face. We noted a small amount of sluggishness during screen share, though not very much.
Hardware Specs and Performance
There's nothing revolutionary to see here. The BlackBerry Z10 runs on a dual-core 1.5GHz processor backed by 2GB of RAM. It offers 16GB of internal storage and the microSD slot takes cards up to 32GB. Wireless connectivity radios include dual-band a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, and NFC. Wired connectivity includes a microUSB port for charging and connecting to a computer and a microHDMI port for HD video output. The Z10 will be available on all four major U.S. carriers and supports 4G LTE, HSPA+, mobile hotspot, and global roaming. The rear camera is 8 megapixels with 5x digital zoom and 1080p video recording capabilities; the front camera is 2 megapixels with 3x digital zoom and 720p HD recording.
These specs are about average for smartphones, though it has double the RAM of many. Yes, there are more quad-core models on the horizon. However, not every phone needs four processors powering it. If the hardware and software are optimized for efficiency, then there's no need for more cores to get good performance (no lag).
The Z10 performs well with "only" two cores. When swiping between Home screens the frame rates are quite high, making for a smooth experience. Multitasking doesn't make the phone sluggish and BB10 handles switching between apps quite well. Apps, games, and the Hub respond to input with speed. The only problem we encountered is that the Z10 gets noticeably hot when taxed, such as during gameplay. Not so hot as to be dangerous, but it can get uncomfortable to hold.
As we mentioned in our BlackBerry 10 review, that there are 70,000 apps in BlackBerry World at launch is great. However, quantity doesn't mean quality. BBW suffers from the same problem as any burgeoning app store: a ton of fluff and filler. That wouldn't be so bad if more top-tier apps were here, such as TripIt, Yelp, and Netflix. Too many apps are pale knock-offs of better Android and iOS apps or don't seem right for the platform.
The apps that come pre-loaded on the device at least provide a solid foundation. Naturally the messaging Hub and Calendar are both top notch. The free productivity apps like Docs To Go, Print To Go, and Remember are robust and useful. We also like the easy connectivity to cloud documents services like Box and Dropbox.
Battery Life
We haven't been able to do thorough battery life testing yet, but the Z10 has a 1,800mAh battery and is supposed to have talk time of about 10 hours. This is roughly on par with your average phone. During our testing over Wi-Fi, the device performed on par with other phones. We imagine it gets about a day of solid battery life on an LTE connection, but will update this review once we've done further testing.
Carriers and Availability
All four major U.S. Carriers – AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless – will sell the Z10. Verizon plans to sell it for $200 on contract, but no other carriers have announced pricing. The phone is available in the UK right now, but will hit U.S. shores in March.
Is the BlackBerry Z10 a groundbreaking smartphone? No, it doesn't have any one uniquely crazy new idea. But there's something to be said for subtlety. The Z10 is a compelling BlackBerry device and runs on a solid new operating system. It will just take time for BlackBerry 10's app store to fill out.
Business users looking for an all-touch experience will certainly like the Z10 better than previous models. Message-obsessed folks will like the Hub and the keyboard experience. All of the parts are in place. It has an efficient and well-designed interface is a good place to start, and the apps will come next.
- Comfortable, balanced, and good-looking design
- Efficient operating system
- Good performance
- Well-designed touch keyboard
- Cameras capture quality images and video
- Screen is prone to smudges
- BlackBerry World needs more quality apps
Editors' Recommendations
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- The best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 cases and covers for 2022
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- GoPro takes to the skies with the Hero10 Black Bones
- BlackBerry's latest revival attempt crashes before launch


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AMSLUX SEASON T-Shirt Black by AMSLUX.
This garment is part of the FW22 collection.
The model is 190 cm tall and wears a size Large
If you prefer a fitted silhouette, size down from your regular size.
100% Cotton.
AMSLUX ships worldwide with UPS.
Remind that we do not deliver to P.O. boxes.
Shipping within 1-3 working days.
- The Netherlands and Belgium € 6,95 | Free shipping above € 100
- Europe € 15
- Worldwide € 30
*Shipping costs do not include duties and taxes.
Your returned item, must arrive at AMSLUX from no later than 14 days after your delivery date.
Please return your purchase with the original packaging in store or send it to the following address:
AMSLUX (please note, this is not a visitors address)
Attn. AMSLUX Returns
Nicolaas Anslijnstraat 21
1068 WL Amsterdam
The Netherlands
When we receive your return in good conditions, we will make sure to reimburse the amount to you as soon as possible.
– Items must be returned unworn, undamaged and unused, with all tags attached and the original packaging included.
– Footwear and accessories must be returned with the original branded box and dust bags, where provided and placed inside a protective outer box for shipping.


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Today Marc Fisher at the Washington Post offers a very nice nod to the Nationals blog community, and recognizes Chris Needham of Capitol Punishment as Blogger of the Month.
That and $3.99 might get Chris a grande iced caramel macchiatto at the Alexandria Starbucks, but the point is that I am proud to be among the newest members of one of the best blogging community in baseball, and Chris deserves being recognized as the king of the pack.
Capitol Punishment is among the first things I read every day, and my conversations with other prominent Nationals bloggers confirms that it's the same for them as well. As Fisher points out…
Capitol Punishment is what works on the web: A strong, attractive personality backed up by a clear devotion to accuracy and good storytelling, with a good dose of humor and a real interest in creating and maintaining a community.
Being so new it was nice to have LetTeddyWin.com singled out as well, despite being labeled as "remarkably obsessive," but hey… that's what the internet is about. In fact, for the ultimate in remarkable obsessions, check out StrikeTwo.net, which has built an automated algorithm to rank baseball blogs based on things such as frequency of posts and the number of times they are linked to from the home pages of other blogs!
As you can see, Chris takes the prize among Nationals bloggers, but just as impressive is the overall showing of the Natosphere. The Washington Nationals fan blogs rank only behind the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox, and are pretty close to the Cubs in terms of the proliferation and following by blogs and their readers.
For a losing team with only a 3 year history, that's pretty impressive. Now if we could just win a few games and fill up that ball park on South Capitol street, we'd really have something to write about.


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Since Teddy Roosevelt's historic first victory at the end of last season, the Nationals have been promising some new twists for the season ahead.
A giant John Kennedy was spotted outside Nationals Park after the final playoff game of 2012, leading some to speculate about expansion of the Rushmore Four. Rumors also swirled about retirement for Teddy, but Roosevelt himself has vehemently denied the possibility.
It appears that the speculation will finally end on Saturday at NatsFest, the team's mid-winter fan festival. This Tweet came from team officials on Wednesday:
Details here as soon as they are available.